I WATCHED the TV debate on TV3 last and many spoke about openness, transparency, and standing up for the people, Nagging at me was the following:

IN a recent report in your newspaper (Oct 1), Ann Cahill revealed that the EU /ECB /IMF troika had asked the Government to raise substantially more than €2 billion through the sale of state assets, even though this had been agreed in the Programme for Government.

LAST Friday (September 30) was National Day of Volunteering; now is a time when I believe we should celebrate the significance of what it is to be a volunteer.

ONE can only wonder what type of legal/judicial system will lock up a 65-year-old woman for protecting her property while at the same time, builders, developers, bankers, civil servants, advisors to government ministers, many of whom contributed to bringing this country to its knees, can enjoy incomes, pensions and relax on golf courses.

IMAGINE if there was an Amanda Knox situation in the American legal system.

WITH the tawdry debacle that was the nomination process now over, I am fairly confident that each one of the seven chosen candidates could perform the functions of the Presidency adequately. The people must decide, however, which candidate can put Ireland on the world stage, in these chastened economic times.

I’M tired of being asked at every election to vote for party hacks who have achieved little and are afraid of being imperfect.

IT was announced recently that a further 6,000 HSE staff would be cut by 2014 and that the use of agency workers would stop.

I ATTENDED the Expo-Working Abroad Exhibition over the weekend and for the first time the enormity of our problems struck home.

IMAGINE my shock when I read that the refuse collection services throughout south Tipperary had been privatised.